'Fridge Freezer Man' is back for his next crazy fundraiser for Shropshire children's hospice

For his next challenge, Matt Jones from Wrexham will be power hiking 26 marathons consecutively in 26 days, from John O’Groats to London with his fridge freezer on his back, finishing with the London Marathon itself on April 26, 2026.

Matt’s last challenge called “One Bet” saw him complete a 112km walk across the Clwydian Range mountains with the fridge, including 15,000ft of elevation gain to honour a bet he made with his late wife Vicky and their four children.

Vicky died in December last year.

Vicky’s mantra of “never be normal, never be boring”, and wanting to set a positive example to his children drove Matt to raise an incredible £75,000 for Hope House Tŷ Gobaith.

Announcing the new challenge, Matt explained: “This isn’t just a stunt - it’s a tribute from me and the children to Vicky.

“It’s about strength in the face of loss. It’s about the families supported by Hope House. 

“It’s a reminder that with the right team, the right cause, and a bit of madness, anything is possible.”

He added: “Doing the Llangollen challenge genuinely helped me a lot.

“But after our visit to Hope House, we were inspired to do something else.

“I popped a message in a WhatsApp chat I have with my support crew and the idea of going from Llangollen to London for the marathon came up.

“The guys humoured me, saying it wasn’t far enough, and all downhill to the capital.

“So we thought, where is the furthest place in Britain from London? John O’Groats, Scotland.

“My brother-in-law Simon worked it out that the distance is exactly that of 26 marathons – so there it was.

“Coming back from visiting Hope House with the kids, we spoke about it and stopped the car. I asked them, ‘are we going to do this?’ and the answer was a resounding yes.”

“This challenge really is the next level for us as a team. It’s over 1,000km.

“But, with the support of my crew and The Wolfpack - my children - I know we can do it.

“The training plan has started. I’m mostly worried how the feet and prosthetic hip will hold up… physically and mentally, I know we can do this.

“I’ve got a few big hitters lined up to join me in support and spread the message. 

“Expect a few surprises and stunts along the way."

Hope House Tŷ Gobaith fundraiser Vicky Bradbeer was delighted by the news of Matt’s new challenge and said: “This is the biggest and most intense fundraising challenge I’ve seen.

“Matt’s reasoning for doing the challenges is so meaningful and we are incredibly grateful to him.

“Vicky, his children, all his family, friends and team must be immensely proud of him – as are we.

“Everything this incredible test raises will go directly to providing professional care and respite for local children and families living with a life-threatening condition.

“Our mission is to reach every child and family we can and give them support to live their best possible lives and from the point of diagnosis.”

To follow Matt’s epic adventures, search Fridge Freezer Man on Facebook and Instagram.

Donate to his hospice fundraising page here: Fridge Freezer Man - 26 in 26.